I stared at my phone. My hope and my heart plummeting with outrageous speed. And why do you like me anyway? In school it doesn't even seem like it and i think it's funny you are good at hiding it but if I ever broke up with Lori, I wouldn't go to you sorry. I didn't want to believe any of it, but there it was as blunt as ever. I guess I deserve it, I mean going after a taken guy definitely wasn't my best move, but I wasn't the only wrong doer. It may not have seemed like he had any interest in me but I have all the proof I need to know he lead me on. I mean who tells someone they're hot and cute. Telling them they're having second thoughts about their current girlfriend and wondering if you would be up for the spot.

I have a strange urge to play Hot N Cold by Katy Perry, but I gag at the thought. There's nothing I hate more than mainstream music. Well that is up until a few minutes ago. Now something has topped that on my Hit (With A Blunt Object Most Likely) List and his name is Drake Wells. And that's saying something. I mean anyone who knows me knows I'd rather eat cow eyes than listen to that crap. I'd much rather plug my head phones into bands like We Are The In Crowd or I See Stars. Don't know them? Good, let's hope it stays that way. I like supporting the underdog 'cause god knows they are way better.

But I'm getting off topic here. Of course I hide my feelings for him. That text just prooves why I need to hide it. I've been hurt way too much in my life. I need to be guarded because if I'm not, the hurt I'm feeling now will feel like a bee sting in comparison to the agonization I'll probably be a victim of. Now that I think about it, this is the third strike in my search for true love. And anyone who knows baseball knows three strikes and you're out. Love is a lot like baseball... well so is sex but let's not discuss my sex life or lack of it since I would need a love life to partake in it; and we all know that is nonexistant.

Again, I'm straying from the subject. My first strike was with Zack. He had been my best guy friend since we were three and I was hoping I could update my status to something more promising. I thought he wanted that too. Well, he did want it until Patricia came into the picture. Patricia was a new girl I met in school. We instantly clicked and it seemed like my search for a best girl friend was over with. That was until I introduced her to Zack. I thought I had made it pretty palpable that I was into him. I even asked her for her help in snagging him. Big mistake. So basically here is what went down, she lied to me about him not being her type, flirted with him when we went on a group date, he told me that night that it wasn't going to work out, and then they continued to talk and skype while I remained in the dark. A month or two later a few other pressing events ensued; Patricia cheated on her boyfriend with Zack, broke both of their hearts, and betrayed my trust. All of that drama was what ultimately lead to our fallout. Not mine and Zack's, mine and Patricia's. Zack and I are actually on talking terms now, although I wish it could be like it used to instead of the awkward eye contact.

This guy named Eli was my second strike. He was the complete opposite of Zack, black hair and brown eyes while Zack had blonde hair and blue eyes. They were, however, totally alike in personalities; your typical class clown. I thought that after Zack, loving anyone was hopeless. It didn't stop me from crushing on Eli though, but I figured liking him was useless since A) he was out of my league; him being a junior and I a lousy freshman and B) I was the broken shell of a girl with major trust issues. All of that changed though when he and my brother became friends.

We all ended up in summer school together; my brother, Eli, and I. That's where the formation of my second love took place. You see, everyday after summer school my brother had to go in for a Global History review session since he failed his final and needed to take to retake it in August. So everyday I had to wait for an hour and a half for him to be done because he was my ride home. Well Eli felt obligated to be my only source of entertainment for that time span, and really I had no intent on objecting.

Time seemed to fly by when I was with him. My broken shell was reconstructing itself with every laugh shared. We even went on a date, but me being the shy, naive freshie that I am; didnt kiss him. When I did kiss him though, it was like everything spiraled out of my control. Eli didn't say a word to me after and he had my brother do his dirty work; breaking it off with me. Even though I fell for him harder than Zack, I got over it pretty fast. I think with every fall, I arise all the more stronger like it's a new coating of armor.

And now this thing with Drake means I have struck out entirely. It's probably a sign that I should just give up... God knows I wont listen though. Like any other teenager I have obedience issues so even if I do get the hint that I need to back off, it's not like I'm going to. They say we learn from our mistakes but for me that isn't true. If anything, it just makes me want to prove them wrong, that I will find someone despite what I'm told.

Banging and muffled cursing came from the front porch. The door creaked open and in came my mom, struggling with two heay-looking boxes. "Dont just stand there. Help me," she panted.

I grabbed the top box which wasn't even that heavy. "Where does this go?" I asked.

"Attic," was her monosyllabic reply.

I ventured up the narrow stairway and walked down the hall to the attic door. Resting all your body weight on a door that is about to be opened wasn't exactly a genius move. So when I did do just that the door flew open, and the box, with all its contents, tumbled onto the floor and spilled open. Luckily I was able to catch myself on the railing.

Pulling myself up I looked at the damage displayed before me. Fortunately it was just old clothes and nothing fragile. I was stuffing them back into the box, not caring if they wrinkled when I heard thumping noises coming from the top of the stairs. "Hello?" I called. No answer. An all too familiar feeling creeped up my spine.

The light from the hallway wasn't enough to see up the stairs so I flicked on the light switch. The thumping had evolved into muffled shuffling, like someone walking on a carpet. I creeped up the stairs as silently as I could while balancing the box on my shoulders.

"Hello?" I called again once I reached the top. Lowering the box and carrying it farther into the attic. I spun around slowly, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Something moved in my peripheral vision. I reeled to my left and dropped the box entirely. Standing right in front of me was the supposed to be comatose Marco Stefani looking very alive and very pissed off.

"Who are you and where the hell are my parents?" he demanded.